calquera / onde queira que

Anyone and Wherever

Level 5

Calquera means any or anyone: Calquera pode facelo (anyone can do it). Onde queira que + subjunctive means wherever: onde queira que vaias.

How It Works

Calquera

  • As a pronoun: anyone. Calquera pode facelo; calquera de vós (any of you).
  • Before a noun: any. Podes chamarme a calquera hora. It is the same for masculine and feminine: calquera día, calquera semana.
  • After a noun: just any, ordinary. Non é un restaurante calquera (it is not just any restaurant).

Calquera never shortens before a noun: the form calquer is not standard Galician.

Pronouns after calquera

Calquera is one of the words that pull an unstressed pronoun before the verb: Calquera cho explica (anyone can explain it to you).

Wherever and whenever

  • onde queira que + subjunctive = wherever: Onde queira que vaias, lémbrate de nós.
  • cando queira que + subjunctive = whenever: Cando queira que volvas, aquí tes a túa casa.
  • calquera que + subjunctive = whoever or whatever: calquera que sexa a resposta (whatever the answer is).

The verb after these phrases is in the subjunctive because the place or time is open.

However and whoever

Como queira que + subjunctive can mean however, in whatever way: como queira que sexa (however that may be). It belongs to formal writing, where it can also mean since, so in everyday speech say como queiras (however you like) or sexa como sexa (no matter how). For "whoever", the simple free relative quen queira is the everyday choice.

Simpler alternatives

In everyday speech, onde queiras and cando queiras are often enough: Senta onde queiras. See relative onde.

Examples (6)

  1. Calquera pode facelo.

    Anyone can do it.

    Calquera works on its own as a pronoun.

  2. Podes chamarme a calquera hora.

    You can call me at any time.

    Before a noun calquera means any and does not change for gender.

  3. Non é un restaurante calquera.

    It is not just any restaurant.

    After a noun, calquera means ordinary or just any.

  4. Calquera cho explica.

    Anyone can explain it to you.

    Calquera pulls the pronoun cho before the verb.

  5. Onde queira que vaias, lémbrate de nós.

    Wherever you go, remember us.

    Onde queira que takes the subjunctive: vaias.

  6. Cando queira que volvas, aquí tes a túa casa.

    Whenever you come back, your home is here.

    Cando queira que means whenever and takes the subjunctive: volvas.

Common Mistakes

  • Shortening calquera before a noun.

    Podes vir calquer día.
    Podes vir calquera día.

    Calquera never shortens; calquer is not standard Galician.

  • Using the indicative after onde queira que.

    Onde queira que vas, leva a cámara.
    Onde queira que vaias, leva a cámara.

    The place is open, so the verb must be in the subjunctive: vaias.

  • Putting the pronoun after the verb when calquera is the subject.

    Calquera explícacho.
    Calquera cho explica.

    Calquera is one of the words that move an unstressed pronoun before the verb.

How It Connects

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calquera / onde queira queLevel 5Anyone and Wherever

Learn This First

Free-choice expressions can refer to any person, thing, place or time.

Words in This Pattern

querer